Plaza Hotel & Casino to host third annual Las Vegas Pickleball Open, Sept. 22-27

With more pickleball courts than any Las Vegas hotel/casino, the Plaza Hotel & Casino is again the official hotel and title sponsor of the Las Vegas Pickleball Open, set for Sept. 22-27. This year, the tournament is presented by pickleball equipment retailer HEAD and will again offer professional players a competitive prize package of $25,000 split between grand prize, silver and bronze medalists.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, the tournament already has 345 registered amateur and professional players from across the country. At a time when other tournaments are witnessing a decrease in registration of 50 percent or more, registration numbers for the Las Vegas Pickleball Open are more than half of last year’s total. The tournament will also welcome the return of No. 1 ranked men’s pro Ben Johns and No. 1 ranked women’s pro Simone Jardim to play in this year’s tournament.

“The Plaza has built a reputation as a premier pickleball destination. As a result, the Las Vegas Pickleball Open has welcomed hundreds of players from across the globe over the past two years” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “While we face unique challenges this year, I am excited to again welcome the tournament to our rooftop courts. I have no doubt that the players will enjoy a great competition as well as all that the Plaza has to offer, just steps away from the court.”

The tournament will offer men’s, women’s, and mixed amateur doubles matches as well as men’s, women’s, mixed and senior (50-plus) professional doubles matches. Due to COVID-19, spectators are not permitted, but medal matches will be live streamed on www.lasvegaspickleballopen.com.

Additional health and safety precautions will also be in place. Players can arrive to the courts no earlier than 15 minutes prior to their scheduled match, and social distancing will be enforced. Facemasks are required of all staff, referees and players entering/exiting the courts and are highly recommended for players during match play. Already located throughout the property, hand sanitizer stations will also be available on the courts, and new balls will be provided for each match.

Players can register for the tournament at www.lasvegaspickleballopen.com. Participants can also book exclusive hotel packages at the Plaza offering discounted room rates, complimentary room upgrades, a $25 daily food and beverage credit, free slot play and bingo match play. To book and for more details visit: https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/pickleball-open/.

A cross between tennis, badminton, and ping pong, pickleball is the fastest growing racquet sport in the U.S., boasting more than three million players – a number that has been growing by more than 10 percent each year over the past decade.